Whipping top and starter



June 17, 1941. G. NICHOLAS 2,245,936

WHIPPING TOP AND STARTER Filed April 22, 1940 FjE-l- FEE-E;-

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l I 2 i I l/ 26 25 Gus NICHOLAS ,r 111 A /2 I; J, Y/

INVENTOR.

Patented June 17, 1941 UNITED STATES ears-NT GFFl-CE win-Penis mo? AND asmnnan Gus Nicholas, San Francisco, Calif. Application Api il22, 1940,:Senia1-Nai33m928 1 Claim.

My present invention relates to tops and starting devices, and more particularly to a starting device and top 'of the so-caI-led whipping type in which the top, due "to special considerations has no upwardly extendingspindle.

obiec't of my invention is to provide a simple and easily :opera'ted starter for Whipping tops of the type that have :no upwardly extending spindle.

Another :object of my invention is to provide a new and novel starting device for whipping 'tops in which there is provided an axially movable spindle about which the top is initially rotated by torsional spring means to impart a spinning movement thereto.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be in part pointed out hereinafter and in part evident to those skilled in the art as the description thereof proceeds.

Reference is now had to the drawing, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the top with a starting device constructed in accordance with the present invention associated therewith,

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken centrally through the top and starting device, as shown in Figure 1 of the drawing,

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the top alone,

Figure 4 is a perspective view showing the starting device in an inverted position, and

Figure 5 is an illustrative perspective View showing the manner of controlling the top after it is started by means of the starting device.

As shown in the drawing, th top, designated generally by the numeral III, has a cylindrical body portion II and a pointed end l2 at the apex of which there is a metal bearing pin I3. At the upper end of the top body [0 there is a central spindle receiving cavity l4 and surrounding the spindle receiving cavity Hi there is an annular ratch surface l5. Adjacent the spindle receiving cavity 14, the top H) also carries an upwardly extending pin l6 which is disposed within a recess ll. Instead of the pin Hi, the top In may be provided with an upstanding abutment. When the top is constructed as above, it will be noted that it presents a substantially flat surface against which a starting device may be disposed. As shown in the drawing, the starting device, designated generally by the numeral I8, is a solid annular member and has a downwardly extending flange I9 which is adapted to overlap the upper end of the top In. Extending downwardly into the 'recess thus formed upon the star ting device l8, there is a pin 20 that'is he'ld' in an'extended'position @bymeans of a spring 2| whichis held in place by-asetscrewi22. The pin 20, spring 21, and the set screw 22 .are mounted in an eccentric opening 2.0a extending through the starting (device member '18 parallel to its axis. The starting device -I8 is shown :;as having a central bore .23 in which there is .disposed a torsional spring 24in the form of ahelix, that i secured at its upper end :to the starting device 18 by means of a'screw 2-5. At itslower end the torsional spring 24 is provided with a pin engaging extension 26. Extending loosely through the torsional spring 24 there is a spindle 21 which is axially movable with respect to the starting device l8. As shown, the spindle 21 has an enlarged end 28 which forms a bearing upon which the top H] may be initially rotated, as will hereinafter appear. At its upper end the spindle 21 carries an enlarged head 29 which moves within a recess 30 formed in the top of the starting device I8 by an extending collar portion 3|. The spindle 21 is loosely supported solely by the convolutions of the spring 24, embracing an intermediate portion thereof, between the enlarged end 28 and the head 29, all of which permits the spindle to slide relative to the spring when the latter is tightly wound. With this arrangement it will be seen that when the starting device It; is placed upon the top H] in the manner illustrated and then rotated, the torsional spring 24 will be Wound so as to store energy therein and at the same time the downwardly projecting pin 20 in cooperation with the ratch surface 15 upon the top It] will cause the parts to become locked in any position to which the torsional spring 24 has been thus wound. Now, should the operator press downwardly upon the enlarged head 29 of the spindle 21, the top I!) will be moved axially away from the starting device [8 and when the ratch surface [5 is moved out of ratching engagement With the spring pressed pin 29, the top I0 will be released and set spinning by the torsional spring 24. After the top II] has thus been started, it will be understood that it may then be maintained in its spinning condition, as shown in Figure 5 of the drawing, by whipping it with a lash 32 upon the end of a whip stock 33.

By mounting the movable spindle 21 upon the starting device l8, as above described, it will be seen that I have provided a whipping top which may be easily and conveniently started and one which, because of the absence of a spindle thereupon, will not be subjected to the danger of being upset by a lash, as is the case where the spindle is provided as an integral part of the top proper.

In order that the starter and top may be held in one hand and thus started with the other hand free for the whip, the starting device l8 also has an external annular groove 34 with which the index and second finger of the hand may engage in order to grip the same while pressure is being exerted with the thumb upon the enlarged head 29 of the axially movable spindle 21.

While I have, for the sake of clearness and in order to disclose the invention so that the same can be readily understood, described and illustrated specific devices and arrangements, I desire to have it understood that this invention is not limited to the specific means disclosed, but may be embodied in other ways that will suggest themselves to persons skilled in the art.

It is believed that this invention is new and it is desired to claim it so that all such changes as come within the scope of the appended claim are to be considered as part of this invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

In a whipping top and starter device, the combination of a top comprising a cylindrical body portion pointed at its lower end and equipped with an axially disposed bearing cavity at its upper end, said body portion also provided with an annular ratch surface at its upper end surrounding said cavity and adapted to receive a latching pin, an upwardly extending projection on the upper end of said body portion located between said cavity and said ratch surface, a starter device comprising a solid member having a centrally located opening extending therethrough, a. torsion spring disposed in and extending axially through said opening, one end of said torsion spring secured to said member and an extension formed on the other end thereof for engagement with said projection, said member being provided with a second opening extending through the member adjacent the first mentioned opening, a latch pin yieldingly mounted in said second opening and adapted to cooperate with the ratch surface for retaining said spring in wound condition when the member is rotated with respect to said body portion, a spindle extending axially through and slidably supported solely by said torsion spring, an enlargement on the lower end of said spindle that limits its upward movement with respect to said spring and also engages in the bearing cavity to provide a bearing about which the body portion will be initially rotated when the spring is released, a pressure receiving head formed on the upper end of the spindle for sliding the spindle in the spring to displace the body portion from the member, and an annular upstanding collar on the member coacting with the spindle head to guide the sliding movement of the spindle with respect to the spring in a straight path.

A GUS NICHOLAS. 

